does a adat recorder have real time digital out?

  • Thread starter Thread starter copperlite
  • Start date Start date
C

copperlite

New member
This may be a really fundemental question but is a ADAT recorder like a Alesis Blackface have realtime digital output. For instence, can i run all my inputs through such a machine and have it connected to my computer for multitrack recording. Please be patient i'm very new to this whole realm and i dont know a lot of concepts and terms. If anyone could point me in the right direction to learn i'd really appreciate it also.

Cheers!
 
I don't think you can do that, but I have never tried. There is a card that takes the tracks off your adat and puts them onto you computer, but if you are looking for it to simply convert analog to digital there are probably better solutions like an old motu card or something like that.
 
copperlite said:
This may be a really fundemental question but is a ADAT recorder like a Alesis Blackface have realtime digital output. For instence, can i run all my inputs through such a machine and have it connected to my computer for multitrack recording. Please be patient i'm very new to this whole realm and i dont know a lot of concepts and terms. If anyone could point me in the right direction to learn i'd really appreciate it also.

Cheers!
Click to expand...

Yes you can with a soundcard or interface that has a lightpipe input. The ADAT a/d converters are said to be pretty good too.
 
my ultimate goal is to find the best way to do digital multitracking without breaking the bank. I want 8 inputs of digital because i want to record our drums and mix them via sonar. I've looked into 8 input cards and digital mixers and nothing seems to be right for me. One thing thats really been confusing me is why cards like the m-audio use all rca connectors?, what are u supposed to connect to them??? are they made for mixer outputs, seems like 1/4 inch would be the universal? I think i'm missing somehting really basic

thanks for the info so far
 
yeah i've read that the a/d converters on the adat recorders are usually noticibly better then ones on multi input sound cards. What would you recomend the rest of my setup to look like??
 
Really, I have always heard that they were so so when compared to newer tech. That is interesting I will have to hook them up and check them out!
 
copperlite said:
What would you recomend the rest of my setup to look like??
Click to expand...

Others may offer better recommendations, but I'll tell you what I've got. I record all the parts on my songs, starting with acoustic drums, etc... I have a Tascam tm-d1000 that has 8 analog inputs, I submix the drums then send them into a Tascam IF-TAD converter then into my computer via an ADAT Edit card and record using Logic audio. I like the results I get and don't have any problems with the recording process.
 
I have an ADAT Edit card that I was using to pull tracks off my ADATs for live recordings, but it was killing me time wise waiting for the full tape to playback to dump 8 tracks at a time, then my friend turned got me to buy one of the older motu cards that has a lightpipe, and that card would pull 24 tracks at a time which totally helped me out. I still use my ADATs mostly for traveling, but I have never used them as just a A/D converter.
 
Others may offer better recommendations, but I'll tell you what I've got. I record all the parts on my songs, starting with acoustic drums, etc... I have a Tascam tm-d1000 that has 8 analog inputs, I submix the drums then send them into a Tascam IF-TAD converter then into my computer via an ADAT Edit card and record using Logic audio. I like the results I get and don't have any problems with the recording process.
Click to expand...

Is there any reason i couldn't go directly from the tascam to my computer? It's a digital board so it has a d/a converter correct?
 
i dont have anything other then your run of the mill stereo sound card...i know a little about lightpipe and spdif stuff, so i'm assuming thats what your getting at :D
 
copperlite said:
Is there any reason i couldn't go directly from the tascam to my computer? It's a digital board so it has a d/a converter correct?
Click to expand...

I bypass the ADAT completely now.
 
You can use the ADAT's as an 8 channel convertor. Not only that, but they will output out the ADAT optical port simultaneously with the analog outputs so that if you have a console, you can monitor with out any latency. As for the convertors, they are pretty dingy sounding. The Alesis HD24 somehow ended up with pretty nice convertors, but the ADAT's don't seem to sound so well. 4 years ago I was using three ADAT's through a MOTU 2408 to give myself 24 I/O. At the time, that was one of the only real offerings to do that. Then I switched to an RME 86/52 and things worked a little smoother. Than I finally dumped the ADAT's (which I still have if anyone wants to buy some:D ) and switched to a Hard Disc recorder to do my conversion. That sounded much better.
 
copperlite said:
Is there any reason i couldn't go directly from the tascam to my computer? It's a digital board so it has a d/a converter correct?
Click to expand...

If you're referencing the TM-D1000 you'll need TDIF to ADAT converter to send 8 channels at a time (no ADAT output). Without the optional I/O board I think there's only a 2 or 4 channel digital output capacity.
 
I use a Tascam TM-D1000 with an IF-TAD (currently $250US) to convert the TDIF to ADAT, which then goes into my computer via a Terratec EWS-88D card. This card also has an analog out pair, which allows me to separately listen to CDs or mp3s. I have the mixer configured so that Channels 1-8 are "direct out", meaning that each channel is assigned its own track into the computer, and Channels 9-16 are Ins for playback. The TM-D1000 is a 4-buss mixer, so if you assign busses you are restricted to 4 discrete outputs.

It's all getting to be older gear now, but it works very well and makes it easy to assign drum machine tracks, etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top